All Things to All People

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
1 Corinthians 9:19-24
Paul one of, if not the greatest, missionary in the history of the early church knew how to win souls. His solution was simple: become all things to all people. Speak in a way that registers with people and then give them the gospel message.
In the same way missionaries throughout the ages have followed Paul's advice. Learn about the culture you are going to, learn the language of the people in that nation, and then minister to them and spread the gospel.
Somehow, however, many of the Christians of the 21st century have forgotten this key to evangelism. Just as the missionaries in the past, and even now, do not go into the country they have been called to without a knowledge of how life is there, those Christians who have not been called from the United States should learn the language of our culture. We need to know what the culture is consuming and what is influencing it, know what the culture believes, and know how to bring the gospel message in a way that the people we want to reach understand. We also should consume secular ideas so as to be able to address our nation.
"Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.
At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." Daniel 1:3-5 & 1:18-20
Daniel was taken to Nebuchadnezzar's court and taught all sorts of "pagan" literature and ideas. He came out not only wiser than the pagan sorcerers but he was put in place of power because of his wisdom. He was willing to learn the ways of the Babylonians. He then took the ways he had taken and used them to glorify God and bring him to the government of the land.
Daniel like Paul took his knowledge of pagan ideas and brought them to the culture. Why have we forsaken the world and let it go to its own devices. Why do many Christians keep hiding in caves and sheltering themselves from secular ideas. Like Daniel we need to learn the ideas of the culture and be able to apply them to our lives. More and more I see Christians walk into a cave and hide from the world going on around them
We as Christians are called to be a light in the darkness and salt to the earth. We need to bring our message. But we need to do this in a way that is relevant. We need to be in the world but not of it.
There is a fine line that needs to be walked here though. We are called to be salt to the earth “But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13
A line needs to be walked in this situation.
Christians need to be able to address the culture and have knowledge of their ways. But we also cannot pervert ourselves with the things of the world. We need to find the line between being able to know about the culture and still keep our identity as Christians. Just as I have seen many Christians hide in caves I have also seen Christians who are so immersed in the culture that they come close to having no identity at all as Christians. They lose their saltiness and as Matthew 5:13 says how can the salt be made salty again.
To sum up there are many Christians who are in and of that I have met. There are also many who are out and not of. But both of these are wrong. Just like Paul, and like Daniel if we want to be effective at meeting the culture to bring them to Christ we need to find that balance of being in not of.